Articulating Vehicle Wash Rollers Avoid Mirrors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle washing systems struggle to efficiently avoid protruding outer rear-view mirrors on large vehicles like buses and trucks, leading to incomplete washing and potential damage, as the brushes must retract, resulting in significant unwashed surfaces and operational challenges for drivers.
Innovation Solution
The device employs upper and lower vertical rollers driven by independent motors, coupled to articulating supporting structures on a fixed bridge, allowing the upper rollers to retract around obstacles while maintaining continuous contact with the vehicle's angular areas underneath, ensuring comprehensive washing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the brushes retract to avoid protruding mirrors, then the mirrors are protected from damage, but the washing coverage is reduced leaving significant unwashed surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The washing system is divided into two independent roller groups: upper rollers that can retract to avoid mirrors, and lower rollers that continue washing the angular areas underneath mirrors. This segmentation allows each group to perform its specific function independently, protecting mirrors while maintaining washing coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper rollers are designed with dynamic retraction capability through articulating supporting structures that allow them to move away from the vehicle body when mirrors are detected, while lower rollers maintain continuous contact. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to adapt to protruding elements without sacrificing overall washing effectiveness.
2Productivity
If the brushes move in a continuous enveloping path, then washing efficiency is maximized, but protruding mirrors are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous washing path is segmented into two levels: upper rollers that retract to avoid mirrors and lower rollers that continue their path underneath mirrors. This segmentation allows the system to maintain continuous washing operation while protecting mirrors from damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulating supporting structures act as intermediaries that enable the upper rollers to temporarily disengage from the vehicle body when mirrors are present, while the lower rollers serve as mediators that continue washing the areas underneath mirrors, thus protecting mirrors without interrupting the overall washing process.
3Reliability
If the arm opening command is issued early to avoid mirrors, then mirror collision is prevented, but the unwashed surface area increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The arm movement control is segmented into two independent control systems: one for upper rollers that opens arms early to avoid mirrors, and another for lower rollers that maintains continuous contact with the vehicle body underneath mirrors. This allows each roller group to optimize its movement independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting structures incorporate dynamic articulation that allows the upper rollers to follow the arm retraction movement while the lower rollers maintain their position through independent articulation, enabling continuous washing coverage despite early arm opening commands.
4Productivity
If the closing command is delayed to ensure brush contact with the vehicle, then washing coverage is improved, but the risk of mirror contact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closing operation is segmented into two independent control systems: upper rollers that close later to avoid mirrors, and lower rollers that close earlier to maintain washing coverage underneath mirrors. This segmentation allows each group to optimize its closing timing independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulating supporting structures provide dynamic adjustment capability that allows the upper rollers to delay their closing motion until after mirrors have passed, while the lower rollers maintain continuous contact and close at the optimal moment for washing coverage, eliminating the trade-off between coverage and mirror safety.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for avoiding protruding elements on vehicles during the washing process. Said device comprises upper (1 a) and lower (1 b) vertical rollers, which rotate by means of independent motors (2) and are coupled in pairs to vertical profiles (3a) of a fixed bridge (3) by means of supporting structures which articulate about main vertical shafts (4) arranged so as to correspond to the vertical profiles (3a). Each of the supporting structures comprises an upper structure for holding the upper vertical roller (1 a) which modifies the continuous course of the cleaning path thereof when it reaches an outside obstacle (6) of the vehicle to be washed; said modification of the cleaning path allowing the outside obstacle (6) to be avoided. Each supporting structure also comprises a lower structure for holding the lower vertical roller (1b) which maintains continuous contact against the outer surface of the vehicle.